(03-21) 14:25 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Umbrellas mixed with protest signs today in San Francisco, where demonstrators marked the sixth anniversary of the war in Iraq with speeches, chanting and a march up Market Street that stretched about three blocks long.
In typical San Francisco fashion, the demonstration, which began at Justin Herman Plaza, attracted a broad medley of causes. Protesters carried signs about the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Israel-Palestinian conflict, 9-11 conspiracies, jail time for Wall Street bankers, single-payer health care and Proposition 8, the same-sex marriage ban.
The protest remained peaceful until the main group arrived at Civic Center Plaza. There, a couple hundred pro-Israel protesters waving Israeli flags were waiting for the larger contingent, which included many pro-Palestine protesters.
The pro-Palestine group broke off from the larger demonstration to confront the Israel supporters, who were carrying signs including "Hamas, stop using children as human shields." Both sides yelled angrily at each other and some protesters got into a physical fight, shoving each other. Police arrested at least two people.
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/21/BA5416KSPJ.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea